Acrylamide is an organic compound formed during the Maillard reaction when food with carbohydrates are heated at high temperatures, such as French Fries, Potato Chips, Toast, Cookies or Bread Products; or in beverages like Coffee or Cocoa. It’s often found in these products such as French Fries or Potato Chips for example!

In 2020, the coffee industry won a legal battle that saved them from having to add Proposition 65 cancer warning labels due to acrylamide contamination of their products; but is brewed coffee safe to consume?

What is Acrylamide?

Acrylamide is a chemical compound created when certain foods are heated at high temperatures, through the Maillard reaction. This reaction takes place when certain reducing sugars (such as glucose and fructose) combine with amino acids such as asparagine to produce brown-coloured food with altered flavor profiles, such as french fries and potato chips; biscuits; bread; coffee as well as other starchy heat processed products produce this chemical compound in food products with increasing temperature or cooking times; the levels of acrylamide increase accordingly.

Concerns surrounding acrylamide stem from its proven link with cancer in rats; however, many human studies – particularly long-term ones – have failed to find any connection between its consumption and development of cancer in humans. Furthermore, the naturally produced form found in our diets differs greatly from any produced during manufacturing or found in tobacco smoke.

Studies suggest that most of our exposure to acrylamide comes from eating fried potato products, toast and other starchy foods high in fat and/or carbohydrates that serve as sources of acrylamide production. Frying potatoes alone accounts for up to half of what we consume every day while soft breads, biscuits and crackers also contribute significantly.

Attaining lower exposure levels to acrylamide can be accomplished through changing some eating and cooking practices. For instance, cutting back the amount of time we fry potatoes while selecting higher quality cultivars will decrease exposure levels to this toxin. Furthermore, by selecting a lower temperature setting on our toaster and toasting bread for shorter durations than before we can greatly decrease acrylamide consumption.

Consumers looking to reduce their exposure to acrylamide may want to choose fermented or sprouted whole plant foods as these produce much less of this compound than processed products. Furthermore, eating a variety of food sources will ensure you meet all of your nutrient needs effectively.

How is Acrylamide produced?

Acrylamide can be found in many foods we eat, such as French fries, potato chips and foods made with flour (such as bread, cookies and cereals). It can also be produced naturally via chemical reactions when heated foods like toast, baked goods potatoes and even coffee are heated at high temperatures.

Acrylamide has been found to be both geno-toxic and carcinogenic in animal testing, leading researchers to speculate that too much exposure could cause neuropathy and nerve damage. Unfortunately, no safe levels exist of acrylamide consumption; to limit exposure it’s best to opt for non-processed/fried foods when possible.

One reason acrylamide can be so detrimental to health is its accumulation in our bodies over time, leading to higher concentrations over an extended period. Acrylamide may have adverse impacts on heart health as well as potentially contributing to diabetes according to some studies.

Food that has been cooked at high temperatures often produces higher concentrations of acrylamide than those that have been boiled or steamed, though their nutritional values tend to be less. Frying, roasting and baking often result in higher acrylamide levels – as do foods fried quickly with high heat settings such as in frying.

Coffee contains minimal levels of acrylamide. Studies have demonstrated this fact; coffee actually had significantly lower acrylamide levels than foods such as French Fries or Baked Bread! This may be attributable to roasting processes which reduce acrylamide while simultaneously increasing beneficial compounds like furans.

Coffee makers have been exploring various strategies to limit acrylamide formation during roasting, yet none has proven effective so far. One reason could be that decreasing acrylamide could negatively impact other properties that consumers value such as flavor and aroma; also factors like storage duration can influence formation of acrylamide thus making a universal strategy difficult to devise.

Are Acrylamide levels in coffee dangerous?

Acrylamide is an odorless white chemical found in paper, plastic and textile manufacturing as well as in food like potatoes and crisps cooked at high temperatures. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), acrylamide is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen–meaning it definite cancer-causing substance – along with cigarettes, processed red meat and alcohol as other examples.

Coffee contains only trace amounts of acrylamide. A study by Denver-based non-profit Clean Label Project, which advocates for health and transparency in food labeling practices, examined nine popular off-the-shelf coffee brands for levels of this chemical compound and reported undetectable quantities within them.

Coffee beans are roasted and ground at high temperatures, producing some acrylamide when they’re ground, but when brewed the amount produced is significantly less than other foods that contain higher concentrations like French fries and fried bread – approximately 7.8 micrograms are contained within one cup of brewed coffee, far below what the IARC considers dangerous levels.

Though acrylamide has been demonstrated to cause cancer in laboratory animals, no human studies have yet been completed. Therefore, the IARC recommends restricting consumption of foods containing acrylamide such as potato chips and crisps for a healthier diet.

Coffee may not be the main source of acrylamide in an American’s diet; other highly processed foods are more likely. Not only can these contain higher concentrations of the compound but often include high amounts of fat and sugar which contributes to greater concentrations.

Epidemiological studies must be completed in order to ascertain whether acrylamide poses any threats to humans, but most experts agree that moderate coffee consumption is safe. Coffee may even help lower your intake by eliminating other sources of the chemical from your diet such as French fries and chips; for those seeking to limit their acrylamide exposure, fresh-roasted coffee would likely provide greater protection from the chemical.

Are there ways to minimize Acrylamide production?

Acrylamide is an organic byproduct of many cooking processes and has been identified in some laboratory tests as potentially carcinogenic. It has been detected in foods like french fries, potato chips and baked bread, while its production increases during roasting of coffee beans. While acrylamide may pose potential health risks when consumed at higher concentrations than that found in regular cups of coffee – these amounts have been far below those reported as harmful by lab experiments.

The level of acrylamide found in coffee depends heavily on its bean type and roasting process. Light-roasted beans tend to produce higher levels than dark-roasted ones; however, other ways are available to you in order to minimize acrylamide production in your daily cup of joe: first off all, whenever possible purchase organic options; also making use of freshly roasted beans can reduce intake significantly.

As well, you have control of the temperature at which you roast your beans. High-heat roasting (such as French presses use), produces more acrylamide than medium or light roasts; instead try boiling or steaming your beans instead to prevent high-heat roasting.

If you’re concerned about the level of acrylamide present in your coffee, a simple test can reveal exactly how much is there. Acrylamide and its precursors can be easily identified using chromatographic methods like LC-MS/MS; experts from Macherey-Nagel and GERSTEL offer solutions to detect them in food products like coffee.

While acrylamide may not be good for you, eating healthy is. Following a balanced diet and limiting fast food will help decrease exposure. Furthermore, decreasing starchy food consumption such as potatoes and bread can further lower levels of acrylamide. If needed, different ways of cooking food (boiling, steaming or microwaving) could also help further lower acrylamide exposure.